It's Been a Long, Long Time
by Halawen
Summary: Clare returns to Toronto for a DeGrassi alumni event, she returns with a secret and security will everyone find out why and what? Quickie fluff shot.


**Welcome to this quickie fluff**

 **Legal: I own nothing but the idea**

 **Important things to know before reading~**

 ***This is a future fic and it's all in Clare's pov everything else you need to know is in the fic so enjoy!**

 **It's Been a Long Long Time**

"Gideon," I say to my fiancé as we stroll through the garden.

"Yes, My Love?" Gideon asks, his heavily accented English wraps his tongue around each word.

"My high school is having an anniversary and all the alumni are invited. I would like to go, it's next week."

"Then you shall go, you know I would never deny you anything Clare." The first time he said my name in that accent of his my heart skipped a beat. "With a security detail of course," my betrothed insists, and I sigh. Having constant security was something I still wasn't used to.

"Of course." There's no use arguing if the security doesn't come I'm sure I won't be able to go. I just don't know how I'll explain all the security to everyone at DeGrassi. I also wonder who will be there?

A few days and a private jet ride later I was back home in Toronto. I had not been back in almost five years, I left a couple weeks after graduation to find myself.

"Stay in the car I'll check us into the hotel," Dimitri tells me. Dimitri is the head of the security detail and of my fiancé's entire security force. Gideon insisted Dimitri come with me since he couldn't come himself. I stay in the car with my other three guards and look at my phone. I'm looking at the schedule for this anniversary event, there's a late cocktail hour tonight at a nearby bar. "We're checked in," Dimitri tells us and helps me out of the car.

We draw a bit of attention walking through the lobby, it's very obvious that I'm in the middle of a security detail. At least I am fairly certain that no one else from DeGrassi will be staying at this hotel. I'm sure that most of them are staying at home if they still have family here. Even if Mom and Glen or Dad and Elaine still lived in the area I wouldn't be staying with them, not secure enough.

We have a very large suite, and while Dimitri and the guys do their thing I unpack my bags. I'll only be here a few nights, but I still want to unpack. Dinner is ordered up to the room and while we're waiting I call Gideon. He already knows we arrived safely and got to the hotel safely I'm just calling to talk to the man I love. When dinner comes I say goodbye and watch TV while I eat. I shower and change after dinner and tell Dimitri I'm going to get a drink, he comes with me of course. At least he comes alone and when he's distracted I slip away. Dimitri might be excellent at his job, but this is the city I grew up in and I know it well. I hop on a streetcar to get to the bar and slip my engagement ring into my purse during the ride.

It's a large bar, closed tonight for a private function which means only DeGrassi alumni will be here. The bar is sunken, and you come down some stairs to the main room. Music is playing, and the lights are low, there's a dance floor and tables, the bar is set up with drinks. I can't pick any faces out in the dim light, so I head down, walking to the bar top where drinks are set up and grab a glass of red wine.

"CLARE," Alli shrieks.

"Alli," I shriek back setting down my wine to hug her.

"How are you? You look amazing," Alli says looking me over.

"Been living in Europe, it agrees with me."

"Obviously."

"And you?" I question. Sad to admit but I really lost touch with everyone from DeGrassi.

"Great, working on my doctorate and dating a professor."

"You and Dallas didn't work out then?"

"No, the long distance thing lasted about a month," Alli replies and opens her mouth to say something else but we hear another squeal and Jenna comes running over to us.

"How have you been?" I ask Jenna when we're done hugging.

"You haven't heard? Jenna released a country album it's like number five on the country charts," Alli tells me.

"Number four now actually but it's been a long road to get there," Jenna corrects.

"Country isn't very big in Europe and I haven't been keeping up with music but that's great I'm really happy for you Jenna."

Alli and Jenna have been in touch through Facerange and I tell Jenna the same thing I told Alli, I've been living in Europe, and leave it at that. I ask about Connor and hear he's working for NASA. Dave comes over and starts talking to Alli and I step back to let them talk, taking my wine to mingle around the room. I speak to Bianca, K.C. and Owen for a bit. K.C. is married and working in a bioengineering lab, Bianca is engaged to a lawyer in the law firm where she's working as a paralegal, and Owen is a coach at a high school in Mississauga. When they ask what I've been doing I give the same answer, "Living in Europe."

"Clare Edwards, one of my brightest and most talented students," Mr. Simpson says from behind me and I turn around.

"It's good to see you Mr. Simpson," I grin. From behind me Bianca, K.C. and Owen give similar sentiments.

"It's good to see all of you. Clare and K.C. I think you know my wife Christine and our daughter Emma," Mr. Simpson says, and we greet them. He introduces us to Caitlyn Ryan whom I recognize from her TV show and Joey Jeremiah, both of whom attended high school with Mr. Simpson and Christine. Of course, Simpson asks what we've all been up to since graduation and we all give the same answers.

After a few minutes we diverge to talk with others. I see other people I recognize, Peter is here and so are Spinner, Jane, Fiona and Declan. Katie, Maya, Zig, Tristan, Miles and his siblings are also here. Drew is here, in a dark booth with Dallas and sitting alone. Dallas seems to be the only Ice Hound, apart from Owen who attended DeGrassi for all of high school, to be here. I'm about to go over to them when I hear a voice from behind me.

"It's been a long, long time Edwards."

"Eli," I grin turning around and hugging my first love.

"You look amazing, how have you been?" Eli smiles after looking me over fully.

"Wonderful, Europe is incredible. I saw your movie it was good, complicated but good."

"Thanks, it's getting some good acclaim we're hoping it will get some notice on the film festival circuit. You know I married Marni," Eli comments referring to the lead actress in his film. He says it apologetically, he thinks I'll be angry or jealous, or is worried I will be.

"I heard, she's very beautiful I hope you're very happy together."

"We are," he smirks, "what about you? What have you been doing in Europe? Anyone special in your life?"

"In fact, there is I'm engaged. I spent two years traveling, mostly writing for magazines and online travel publications. Sold short stories and poems for extra money, until I met my fiancé."

"You're not writing anymore?"

"Oh, I still write I just…" I pause when I see Dimitri on the top of the stairs. If I don't go to him he'll come to me, guess the fun is over for tonight. "Excuse me Eli."

"You alright? Who is that?"

"I'm fine, I just need to speak with him," I reply and leave Eli to speak to the angry security guard. I follow Dimitri outside and he gives me a scolding look. "Nothing happened, no one knows here they haven't said a thing."

"You snuck away, we are in charge of your safety. You must return to the hotel now," Dimitri insists putting a hand on my arm.

"Clare? Are you alright?" Drew asks from behind me and I turn to smile at him.

"I'm fine Drew, I'll see you tomorrow night." With that we get in the car and return to the hotel. As soon as we're in the elevator Dimitri is on his phone to tell Gideon I'm back safely. When I'm in the master bedroom of the suite I call my fiancé on the laptop and he releases a relieved breath when he sees my face.

"You snuck away from your security."

"I know it's been two years, but I'm still not used to having a security detail Giddy," I remark using my pet name for him.

"I know My Sweet but if anything were ever to happen to you I couldn't take it."

"I'm nothing but plain old Clare Edwards here, they have no idea."

"They might not but it doesn't mean they can't find out. It doesn't mean a European paparazzo didn't find out you were going home and follow you. I love you more than anything and I need you to be safe."

"A full security detail will draw more attention than me alone."

"But you'll be safe, and I won't be worried about you," Gideon pleads and I heave out a sigh.

"Alright, they'll accompany me tomorrow night."

"Thank you," Gideon smiles. I love his smile; his charming smile was the first thing that attracted me to him. The smile lights his face and makes his dark eyes sparkle. "I love you Clare, you are the light that guides my life."

How do you not blush at a compliment like that?

"I love you too Gideon, I'll be home in a couple of days." I blow him a kiss and close the laptop.

The following night, arriving at DeGrassi Community School is like stepping back in time, a part of me feels eighteen again. Of course, I didn't have a security detail last time I was here. Dimitri walks ahead of me and the other two guards walk behind me, and everyone whispers as we walk in. Everyone is staring at me like I'm some creature from outer space, everyone that I went to high school with, all my old teachers and all of the people I don't recognize, just staring at me. It continues as I walk through them all and into the auditorium where the main part of the event is happening, music and food that is, though the whole school is open for visitors.

When we enter the auditorium, you can feel everyone stop and look over. Hear the collective gasp from the room, and then the collective whispering starts as everyone conjectures as to why I'm coming in with three security guards. No one even attempts to approach me, quite the opposite they all move away, giving me a wide breadth as I walk through the room. Somewhat surprisingly, the first one to be brave enough to approach is Drew.

"I hope the security isn't on my account," Drew says, and it makes me giggle.

"No, they were at the insistence of my fiancé."

"In that case, may I have this dance?" He asks holding his hand out to me. I smile and take his hand; Drew's eyes catch sight of my engagement ring. "Your future husband must be doing well for himself," Drew comments leading me to the middle of the room, so we can dance.

"It's family money."

Drew's eyebrow raises slightly, "He's good to you?"

"Yes, very good, he's wonderful to me," I reply as he puts his hand on my lower back and takes my hand, so we can dance to the slow song. As we begin dancing I feel some of the room begin to move again and a few others are even dancing.

"Then I'm very happy for you Clare. You deserve that, I don't think you ever got that in high school."

"There were some moments," I smile, "I am very happy with Gideon. What about you? Life since graduation?"

"Took some classes at Centennial, I'm a kindergarten teacher now at an elementary school and dating a fellow teacher. She's great, a bit older than me with a three-year-old daughter but I love them both."

"That's great Drew, Adam would be proud," I tell him, and he grins very wide.

When the song ends, my old friends at least seem to be over their shock as Alli and Jenna run over to me. K.C., Dave, Dallas, Spinner and Mr. Simpson are just behind them. I tell them all that the security was Gideon's insistence and there's nothing to worry about. Alli and Jenna see my engagement ring, and both let out an ear-piercing scream. They spend the next ten minutes talking about the ring, wondering how much it cost, I have no idea and don't want to even guess. I tell them all its family money and don't elaborate, at least most people are no longer staring at me. After dancing with K.C., I take a tour of the school with Drew, Alli, Jenna, Dave, K.C. and Owen, it's changed quite a bit in the few years since we all went here. Naturally, Dimitri is ahead of us and my other guards behind us, but no one seems to mind or say anything.

We return to the auditorium after the tour, I eat, have a drink, dance some more and talk to some other people. And then the room stops again, just as it did when I walked in surrounded by Dimitri and the other guards. I look to see what has stopped the crowd this time and smile when I see my fiancé. Gideon stands in the middle of four guards, a very nice dark blue suit adorns him and his jet-black hair nicely combed back. When he sees me, a smile goes across his lips and lights his face. The guards in front of him move away so he can get to me, he brings me into his arms and we share a long and lasting kiss.

"What are you doing here?"

"I missed you," he grins.

"You know it's only for alumni, family wasn't invited."

"Then I'll only stay for a dance," he replies moving me away, so we can dance. The band had been playing a fast song but now they stop and begin playing a slow song. We dance together, I've learned to dance since being with Gideon, it's almost a requirement. Everyone's eyes are on us, at least I feel like they are, though I do believe their careful watching has more to do with the security detail surrounding us at the edges of the dance floor than our skill at dancing. When the song ends Gideon kisses me, whispers that he loves me in my ear and leaves with his security. I'm sure that he'll be waiting at the suite for me, but he's left me to enjoy the rest of the night. Dimitri and my other guards come to me, and the first ones to approach me are Alli and Jenna and their screaming again.

"Clare, you didn't tell us you were marrying a prince!" Alli squeals showing me a picture of Gideon and I in a French paper.

"You must tell us everything," Jenna says. Others have gathered now to hear the story including Eli, Drew and Mr. Simpson.

"I was traveling through Europe and writing, I was in Monseracch writing an article and was at the palace for the article. I didn't know who Gideon was when he approached me and asked me out, I quickly found out though. I never left, we started dating, fell in love and a few months ago he asked me to marry him. The wedding is in December, I'm still writing but I've mostly been learning about my future country."

"Awww," Jenna and Alli sigh together.

"DeGrassi's very own Cinderella story," Simpson grins.

"I always thought you'd have a fairytale ending," Eli smirks.

Now that everyone knows I'm getting a lot of questions, and people are searching on their phones to find out about us. It's not as though it was ever a secret. Our relationship has been all over the European press, it just never really reached North America. A few small articles but nothing attracted attention. Some of that was intentional, I used my connections to keep it out, with the promise of covering the wedding. The wedding was supposed to be the big reveal for Canada, Toronto girl marries royalty sort of thing. I suppose it's out in North America now, not that it was a total secret my family new of course and Jake would have been here, but he broke his leg a couple weeks ago at work. I wouldn't even have heard about the event if Jake hadn't forwarded me the invite.

After a couple of hours, I decide I'm ready to go, it's been good to see everyone again and to know that despite all the trials of tribulations of high school we turned out well. All of us have made it through and found our footing and that we can put the past where it belongs and be happy for where we are now and where we're going. I say goodbye to my friends, Simpson, Spinner and a few others and we return to the hotel. When I come in Gideon pulls me into his arms and greets me with a loving kiss.

"Did you have fun?" Gideon asks.

"I did, it was nice to see everyone, but I'm ready to return to Monseracch with you. Home with you," I grin and take his lips again.

 **Hope you enjoyed, and before you go searching Monseracch is a fictional country made up for story purposes.**

 **Next updated is** _ **Salvaged & Saved.**_


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